In good times and bad, we're all taught to love our customers unconditionally. We turn the other cheek, despite their erratic, disingenuous behavior and conveniently-timed disappearing acts just before they sign your contract. And despite our emotions, we can’t respond in kind to our worst buyers.

But have you ever wondered what would happen if you cut out all extra service and personal touches from your business? Would customers still come if you were excellent but detached?

My recent shoulder surgery was an in-your-face example of how this works.

After enduring shoulder pain for a year, an MRI confirmed that my rotator cuff was ripped apart. I found the region’s best surgeon, and after a 15-minute consult, he booked me. At my operation, I received no visit from the surgeon, minimal small talk from the nurses, and no remorse for their two-hour delay in pre-op.

When I objected, they sedated me to ensure my compliance and placed me in the queue. The surgeon never visited before or after the procedure, and three hours after the operation, I was sent home to heal.

A week later I had my 10-minute follow-up with the surgeon. I suggested that he operate on my other shoulder. At this, he gave me another 10 minutes, satisfied all my concerns, and recommended scheduling the next one before the summer.

How did this make me feel? Was I a happy customer? What business lessons did I take away from this experience?

Actually, I am happy with my surgeon. I felt deprived until I accepted that when it comes to surgery, I’d better get my loving at home.

What lessons can you learn about running your business in a cost-constrained marketplace where raising prices or offering more value is impossible? How do you provide value when your market won’t pay you for it?

If you offer a small part of the total package your customer is buying (surgery vs. a fully-recovered shoulder), you must be efficient at delivering the only part you can.

If you have to run a high-volume operation, focus all your resources on maintaining quality and efficiency at the highest volume possible and cut out any and all distractions.

Spend your non-delivery time generating more customers.

Have faith that factors you can’t control — like physical therapy and patient commitment to rehabilitation — will make your work speak for itself.

Many years ago when I was a corporate manager, I sat in on an “esprit de corps” meeting during which a furious debate ensued over the impact of some corporate policy on how some employees might feel. After listening to this debate, my favorite executive stood up and said with exasperation, “For God’s sake, can’t they get their loving at home? We are running a business here!”

Perhaps there’s a lesson for many of our businesses. Despite every effort we make to improve the experience we offer, sometimes it’s only about focusing on our best and highest use and letting your customers meet their other needs elsewhere.

Andy Birol works to empower private business owners to create and sustain profitable growth. By focusing on their "Best and Highest Use," Birol’s consulting, workshops, and books have helped many private businesses to build their ownership wealth and legacy. He has traveled to or worked in all seven continents, 84 countries and territories, and 47 states. He can be reached at 412-973-2080.